HAY MAKING IN RAINY COUNTRIES. 313 



from approaching storm or nightfall a lot of hay, 

 and this can be all unloaded at leisure next morning 

 when dew is on the grass, or it may be showering. 



Opening the Cocks. The hay in the cock will be 

 left unopened till the dew is well off and the outside 

 of the cocks well dried, say till 9 or 10 o'clock. 

 One can never lay down cast iron rules for 

 hay making. The hay in the cock may not 

 need opening at all, but the chances are that it 

 will if it is to go in at once. Sometimes it can be left 

 for a few days in hot, dry weather and it will per- 

 fectly cure in the cock. I do not often do this ; it is 

 taking too much chance. By 10 o'clock, if the day is 

 fair, men are busily opening the cocks that were laid 

 up the evening before. With timothy hay one tears 

 it all apart and scatters it as much as possible when 

 he opens it. With alfalfa, on the other hand, one lifts 

 it tenderly and puts it out in three, four or more 

 large flakes, just as the cock was laid up this to 

 avoid loss of leaves. These flakes lying under the 

 midday sun soon dry. After dinner maybe they will 

 need turning over once. This is very rapidly done. 

 Then one man goes along and lays them in cock 

 again, just as he would pile up buckwheat cakes. 

 This is done very fast indeed, and the hay laid up 

 again goes right on drying. Wagons follow and it is 

 taken as fast as possible to the barn. Late in the 

 day there may be more hay to rake and cock. 



This is the system followed on Woodland Farm, 

 and almost no hay is lost no matter how it rains. 



